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Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) has started its international operations with Air India Express launching direct flights to Abu Dhabi, marking a key milestone in the airport's expansion. The three-times-a-week service is the first international route from NMIA since domestic operations began late last year. Along with passenger services, the inaugural flight also carried the airport's first international perishable export shipment. The development strengthens aviation connectivity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region while supporting trade, cargo movement and future international expansion through additional airline partnerships and overseas destinations.
Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) has entered the international aviation market with the launch of its first scheduled overseas flight, as Air India Express commenced direct services to Abu Dhabi. The inaugural flight is scheduled to depart in the early hours of Wednesday, marking the airport's first international operation since domestic commercial services began late last year.
The Abu Dhabi route will operate three times a week, providing passengers from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) with a direct connection to the United Arab Emirates. According to Adani Airports Holdings Ltd (AAHL), the launch is the result of coordinated efforts by central and state government agencies, aviation regulators, airline partners and airport stakeholders to establish NMIA as the region's second international gateway alongside Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
International services have started more than six months after NMIA commenced domestic commercial operations. The airport was inaugurated as part of efforts to ease air traffic congestion at Mumbai's existing airport and enhance aviation infrastructure in western India.
NMIA is being developed through a joint venture between the Adani Group and the Maharashtra government's City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO). The airport is one of the country's major greenfield airport projects and is expected to play a significant role in handling future passenger and cargo growth in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
With the addition of Navi Mumbai International Airport, all eight airports managed by Adani Airports Holdings Ltd now operate both domestic and international flight services. The company's airport portfolio includes Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati and Mangaluru.
AAHL Chief Executive Officer Arun Bansal said the launch of the first scheduled international flight marked a new phase in the airport's development. He acknowledged the support of state and central government agencies and other stakeholders in achieving the milestone and appreciated Air India Express for partnering with the airport on its first international route.
Apart from passenger operations, the inaugural international flight also carried NMIA's first global shipment of perishable export cargo. AAHL said this establishes the airport as a new gateway for time-sensitive and high-value exports, improving access to international markets for Indian exporters while strengthening the airport's growing cargo business.
The airport currently handles around 150 air traffic movements every day and connects passengers to 46 domestic destinations. With the addition of international operations, NMIA is expected to further strengthen its role in serving the aviation requirements of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and western India.
Bansal also said the airport's focus will remain on ensuring smooth operations while expanding its network through additional airline partnerships and international destinations. He added that the objective is to strengthen Navi Mumbai's position as a preferred gateway for overseas travel.
AAHL stated that the Abu Dhabi service is the first among several international routes planned from NMIA. As more airlines begin operations and the destination network expands, the airport is expected to contribute to increasing Mumbai's aviation capacity while supporting India's growing international connectivity, trade and tourism.
Air India Express Chairman Nipun Aggarwal said the airline was pleased to commence international operations from Navi Mumbai with direct flights to Abu Dhabi, offering travellers from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region an additional gateway to the UAE. He added that Navi Mumbai forms an important part of the airline's dual-airport strategy for Mumbai, complementing its existing operations from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, and that the airline looks forward to expanding connectivity through its partnership with NMIA.
Source PTI
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